PHILIPPINES EARTHQUAKE

Philippines earthquake

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The massive quake, which struck Tuesday(15-10-2013), also destroyed more 8,600 homes in Quezon City, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The bulk of the casualties were in Bohol province.In an update issued Saturday, the council said 583 people were injured and 13 were missing.The quake was centered about 620 kilometers (385 miles) south-southeast of Manila, near Catigbian, and its depth was 20 kilometers (12 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Philippines disaster council gave the quake a slightly higher rating: 7.2 magnitude.

The quake hit on a national holiday in the Philippines, at the beginning of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.Landslides were reported in some areas. More than 8,500 homes were destroyed and nearly 26,000 were damaged, officials reported.The quake has affected nearly 3.5 million people across six provinces. More than 370,000 people were forced from their homes in the worst-affected Bohol province, the council said.Government buildings and infrastructure, including roads and bridges, have also suffered damage, the council said.

                            Prof. John Kurakar